Which of the following statements are indicative of higher aims of teaching mathematics? (a) Mathematics education should turn out employable adults who contribute to economic and social development. (b) Mathematics education should develop child's inner resources like abstract thinking and drawing logical conclusions (c) Children should see mathematics as a way of life like communicating, discussing and developing attitude for problem solving (d) Mathematics education should focus on factual knowledge and procedural fluency

Which of the following statements are indicative of higher aims of teaching mathematics? (a) Mathematics education should turn out employable adults who contribute to economic and social development. (b) Mathematics education should develop child's inner resources like abstract thinking and drawing logical conclusions (c) Children should see mathematics as a way of life like communicating, discussing and developing attitude for problem solving (d) Mathematics education should focus on factual knowledge and procedural fluency Correct Answer (b) and (c)

According to George Polya, There are two kinds of aims in mathematics for school education such as higher and narrower aims.

Important Points

Higher Aims- ​ 

  • ​​In NCERT, The higher aim in mathematics" is to develop the child's resources, to think and reason mathematically, to pursue assumptions to their logical conclusion, and to handle abstraction. It includes a way of doing things, and the ability and the attitude to formulate and solve problems."                                

Developing the ability of mathematization which is regarded as constituting the higher aims of mathematics, includes developing such abilities as-

  • Problem solving-problem solving is an important life skill that suggests a shift from memorization to the understanding of the concept and the ability to apply those in both familiar and unfamiliar situations, whether in daily life problems or given in the textbook. In problem-solving skills, Children should see mathematics as a way of life like communicating, discussing, and developing an attitude toward problem-solving.
  • Use of heuristics- This encourages the learner to try different hunches for solving the problems. One who uses such heuristics becomes, in the long run, efficient in solving real-life problems.
  • Estimation and approximation-Estimating quantities and approximate solutions when exact ones are not available are considered essential skills required for scientific investigations. In many cases, students use this skill to employ these approximations in solving more complex problems. 
  • Optimization-Optimization means the utilization of available conditions and resources to the fullest extent which is never included in the school mathematics curriculum. 
  • Use of patterns- The study of patterns requires students to recognize, describe, and generalize patterns to arrive at rules and formulae. If children are made to identify regularities in events, shapes, designs, and sets of numbers they will realize that regularity is the essence of mathematics.
  • Mathematical communication- Precise expression and unambiguous use of language are important characteristics of mathematics education. Using mathematical symbols, language, operations, etc. makes mathematics more meaningful and systematic. in mathematical communication-
    • To develop the powers of thinking and reasoning.
    • To solve mathematical problems of daily life.
    • To understand and acquainted with the environment and culture
    • To prepare the child for various technical and general future professions.

Additional Information

Narrow aims-

  • To develop numeracy-related skills.
  • to develop ‘useful’ capabilities, particularly those relating to numeracy- numbers, number operations, measurements, decimals, and percentages.

Hence we conclude that Mathematics education should develop a child's inner resources like abstract thinking and drawing logical conclusions, Children should see mathematics as a way of life like communicating, discussing,, and developing an attitude toward problem-solving is the higher aim of teaching mathematics.

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